阅读说明：本技术 数值控制装置 (Numerical controller ) 是由 佐藤修二 于 2019-08-28 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种能够简单地生成集中了必要信息的自定义画面的数值控制装置。该数值控制装置具备：属性赋予部,其对一个以上的已有画面中包括的一个以上的画面部件赋予属性；自定义画面生成部,其设定应该显示在自定义画面中的上述属性；以及自定义画面显示部,其显示上述自定义画面,该自定义画面只集中了根据上述属性选择出的上述画面部件。(The invention provides a numerical controller capable of easily generating a user-defined screen with necessary information concentrated therein. The numerical controller includes: an attribute assigning unit that assigns an attribute to one or more screen components included in one or more existing screens; a custom screen generating unit that sets the attribute to be displayed on a custom screen; and a user-defined screen display unit that displays the user-defined screen in which only the screen components selected according to the attributes are collected.)

1. A numerical control apparatus is characterized in that,

the numerical controller includes:

an attribute assigning unit that assigns an attribute to one or more screen components included in one or more existing screens;

a custom screen generating unit that sets the attribute to be displayed on a custom screen; and

and a custom screen display unit that displays the custom screen in which only the screen components selected according to the attributes are collected.

2. The numerical control apparatus according to claim 1,

the user-defined screen generating section sets a plurality of the attributes to be displayed on the user-defined screen and a logical relationship between the plurality of the attributes.

3. The numerical control apparatus according to claim 1,

the numerical controller can newly register the attribute unique to the user.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a numerical controller, and more particularly, to a numerical controller capable of easily generating a custom screen in which necessary information is integrated.

Background

A conventional numerical controller has a screen in which display contents and these configurations are fixedly defined according to an operation purpose. The display content and arrangement of the screen cannot be dynamically changed during display. Examples of such screens include a running state monitoring screen, a program editing screen, a condition setting screen, and an alarm display screen.

When a user wants to add a unique screen, a common graphic (line, arc, rectangle, character, etc.) or screen component (label, button, list, chart, etc.) is placed on the screen, and the operation is programmed to generate a screen each time. This operation usually takes a lot of time.

On the other hand, as a method of customizing a non-program screen, methods shown in patent 6257849 and japanese patent application laid-open No. 2002-278666 are proposed. Patent No. 6257849 discloses a function of adding or deleting a predetermined display item to or from an existing screen. Japanese patent laid-open No. 2002-278666 discloses a function of arranging a display component (button, list, chart, etc.) selected from an existing screen in a custom screen.

In a conventional numerical controller, a screen is generally configured according to an operation purpose. Therefore, the information that the operator wants to confirm is often not concentrated (set ) on one screen. At this time, the operator needs to switch a plurality of screens to confirm the information. For example, in a numerical controller including a plurality of systems, only information related to the system 1 may be checked. At this time, the operator is currently required to cross (transversely) check information related to the system 1 scattered over a plurality of screens. A function for easily generating a screen in which information related to the system 1 is concentrated is not provided.

In addition, it is not rare that information other than information to be confirmed by an operator, in other words, unnecessary information is displayed on a conventional display screen divided according to the purpose of operation. Therefore, it is difficult for the operator to confirm the destination information. In other words, it takes time to narrow the information range. In addition, the operator may misrecognize the target information and other information. For example, there is a possibility that data of the system to be confirmed and data of other systems may be erroneously referred to. Further, in order to acquire unnecessary information, an excessive load is imposed on resources such as a CPU, a bus, and external communication.

The method described in patent No. 6257849 is limited to editing an existing screen, and cannot meet the need to collect necessary information from an arbitrary screen and create a new screen. The method described in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2002-278666 can generate a new screen including components collected from a plurality of screens, but still requires a lot of time because screen generation, screen component collection, and the like need to be performed manually.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a numerical controller capable of easily generating a custom screen in which necessary information is concentrated.

A numerical controller according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: an attribute assigning unit that assigns an attribute to one or more screen components included in one or more existing screens; a custom screen generating unit that sets the attribute to be displayed on a custom screen; and a user-defined screen display unit that displays the user-defined screen in which only the screen components selected according to the attributes are collected.

In the numerical controller according to one embodiment of the present invention, the customization screen generating unit sets the plurality of attributes to be displayed on the customization screen and the logical relationship between the plurality of attributes.

The numerical controller according to one embodiment of the present invention can newly register the attribute unique to the user.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a numerical controller capable of easily generating a custom screen in which necessary information is integrated.

Drawings

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a numerical controller.

Fig. 2 shows an example of a functional configuration of the numerical controller.

Fig. 3 shows an operation of the attribute assigning section.

Fig. 4 shows an operation of the custom screen generating section.

Fig. 5 shows operations of the customization screen generating section and the customization screen displaying section.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the numerical controller.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the numerical controller.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the numerical controller.

Fig. 9 shows an operation of the custom screen generating section.

Fig. 10 shows an example of a storage area for holding attribute information.

Fig. 11 shows an operation of the custom screen generating unit according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 12 shows an operation of the attribute providing unit according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 13 shows operations of the customization screen generating unit and the customization screen displaying unit according to embodiment 2.

Detailed Description

< embodiment 1 >

Fig. 1 is a schematic hardware configuration diagram of main components of a numerical controller 1 according to embodiment 1. The numerical controller 1 is a device for controlling an industrial machine including a machine tool. The numerical controller 1 includes a CPU11, a ROM12, a RAM13, a nonvolatile memory 14, a bus 10, a shaft control circuit 16, a servo amplifier 17, and an interface 18. The numerical controller 1 is connected to the servo motor 50 and the input/output device 60.

The CPU11 is a processor that controls the numerical controller 1 as a whole. The CPU11 reads out a system program stored in the ROM12 via the bus 10, and controls the entire numerical controller 1 in accordance with the system program.

The ROM12 stores in advance system programs for executing various controls and the like of the industrial machine.

The RAM13 temporarily stores temporary calculation data, display data, data or programs input by the operator via the input/output device 60, and the like.

The nonvolatile memory 14 is backed up by, for example, a battery not shown, and maintains a storage state even when the power supply of the numerical controller 1 is cut off. The nonvolatile memory 14 stores data, programs, and the like input from the input/output device 60. Programs and data stored in the non-volatile memory 14 may be deployed to the RAM13 during execution and during use.

The axis control circuit 16 controls the operation axis of the industrial machine. The axis control circuit 16 receives the amount of the axis movement command output from the CPU11, and outputs the movement command of the operation axis to the servo amplifier 17.

The servo amplifier 17 receives a shaft movement command output from the shaft control circuit 16 and drives the servo motor 50.

The servo motor 50 is driven by the servo amplifier 17 to move the operation axis of the industrial machine. The servo motor 50 typically has a position/velocity detector built in. The position/velocity detector outputs a position/velocity feedback signal, which is fed back to the shaft control circuit 16, thereby performing position/velocity feedback control.

Although fig. 1 shows only the axis control circuit 16, the servo amplifier 17, and the servo motor 50, only the number of axes to be controlled in the industrial machine is actually prepared.

The input/output device 60 is a data input/output device provided with a display, hardware keys, and the like, and is typically an MDI or an operation panel. The input/output device 60 displays information received from the CPU11 via the interface 18 on a display. The input/output device 60 transmits commands, data, and the like input from hardware keys and the like to the CPU11 via the interface 18.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configuration of the numerical controller 1. The typical numerical controller 1 includes, in addition to the functions of the conventional numerical controller, an attribute assigning unit 101, a customized screen generating unit 102, and a customized screen display unit 103 for performing characteristic processing of the numerical controller 1. An operation example of each processing unit will be described with reference to the screen images of fig. 3 to 5 and the flowcharts of fig. 6 to 8.

The attribute assigning unit 101 assigns attribute information to a screen member included in an existing screen (a screen displayed by a standard function provided in the numerical controller 1).

The screen component is a component constituting an existing screen, and includes, for example, a display area for displaying information such as a machining program, a machining state (using a tool, coordinate values, and the like), and various messages (error messages, operation histories, and the like) of each system.

The attribute information is an arbitrary tag that can be assigned to each screen component, and may be, for example, a directory of information (coordinates, program, tool, setting, signal, message, and the like), a system number, an axis number, a shape of a screen component (tag, numerical value display, button, list, meter, key input, and the like), other keywords, and the like. The attribute assigning unit 101 can assign arbitrary attribute information to the screen component. In addition, predetermined attribute information may be given to the screen component in advance. The attribute assigning unit 101 can assign a plurality of pieces of attribute information to the screen component.

Fig. 10 shows an example of a storage area for holding attribute information. The storage area accessible to the attribute assigning unit, the customized screen generating unit, and the customized screen displaying unit includes an attribute list, and the attribute list is divided for each screen component. The attribute list is a list of attributes that can be given to screen components. The screen-component-specific attribute list is a list to which an attribute of a screen component is assigned, and has a data structure in which 1 or more attributes are connected to an identifier uniquely indicating a screen component, for example.

An example of an operation when the attribute adding unit 101 adds the attribute information to the screen component will be described with reference to fig. 3. The attribute assigning unit 101 displays an attribute list (a pop-up menu called "attribute selection" in fig. 3) for selecting an attribute to be assigned if a predetermined operation (for example, a right click operation or a click operation) is detected with respect to a screen member (a machining program display area of "system 1" in fig. 3) of an existing screen (a "machining state display screen" in fig. 3). A list of attributes that can be assigned to screen components is displayed in the attribute list. If the user selects a desired attribute from the attribute list, the attribute assigning section 101 assigns the selected attribute to the screen component. Preferably, feedback is provided to the user to understand the attributes assigned to the visual components. In fig. 3, one or more attributes of the currently provided screen component are displayed in a list in a pop-up window ("provided attribute").

An example of the operation when the attribute assigning unit 101 assigns an attribute to a screen component included in an existing screen will be described with reference to the flowchart of fig. 6. In this example, the attribute of "system 1" is assigned to a screen component that displays information related to system 1.

S101: the existing screen is displayed by the standard function provided in the numerical controller 1.

S102: the attribute assigning unit 101 detects a selection operation (typically, a right click operation or the like) performed on a screen component of an existing screen.

S103: the attribute assigning unit 101 displays an attribute list (pop-up menu listing assignable attributes) for selecting an assigned attribute.

S104: the attribute assigning unit 101, if detecting an operation of selecting an attribute from the attribute list, assigns the selected attribute to the screen component.

The custom screen generating unit 102 collects screen components to which attribute information is added, and generates a custom screen that is a new screen.

An example of the operation of the custom screen generating unit 102 when generating the custom screen will be described with reference to fig. 4 and 5. The user-defined screen generating section 102 displays a blank user-defined screen and a plurality of blank software keys on the screen if a user-defined screen generating command is executed. The user-defined screen generating unit 102 displays an attribute list (a pop-up menu called "attribute selection" name in fig. 4) for assigning an attribute if a predetermined operation (for example, a right-click operation or a click operation) is detected with respect to a blank software key (the selected software key is indicated by hatching in fig. 4). The attribute list includes one or more attributes assigned to the screen component. If the user selects a desired attribute from the attribute list, the custom screen generating section 102 collects screen components to which the selected attribute is assigned and displays the screen components on a blank custom screen. That is, screen components having the same attribute originally distributed in various existing screens are alternately collected by the customized screen generating section 102 and displayed in a single customized screen (fig. 5). In addition, the attribute names assigned to the software keys are displayed. In this way, only information related to a specific attribute such as a specific system number, a specific axis number, a specific program, a specific tool number, a specific signal, and the like is collected from a plurality of existing screens configured according to the operation purpose so as to intersect each other and displayed collectively.

The custom screen generating unit 102 may also collect screen components by combining the conditions of a plurality of attributes, and generate a custom screen. The user-defined screen generating unit 102 displays an attribute list for assigning an additional attribute and an interface for selecting a combination method of the additional attribute and an attribute assigned to the software key if a predetermined operation (for example, a right-click operation or a click operation) is detected with respect to the software key (display attribute name) to which the attribute has been assigned. Examples of the attribute combination method include AND (logical product), OR (logical sum), AND NOT (logical NOT). When a plurality of attributes are assigned in this way, a logical expression indicating a combination of a plurality of attribute names, for example, selected is displayed in the software key. In this way, it is possible to take a logical product (AND) of a plurality of attributes such as the system number AND the axis number, AND extract only a specific system AND a specific axis for display.

An example of the operation of the custom screen generating section 102 when placing screen components on a blank custom screen will be described with reference to fig. 9. The custom screen has an area map in which the display area is divided into small areas in a matrix form. The small regions are respectively predetermined in width and height. The custom screen image generation unit 102 selects a combination of free (unused) small areas (light-colored small areas in fig. 9) that can secure an area equal to or larger than the size of the screen image component to be newly arranged from the area map, and arranges the screen image component. The small area where the screen component is placed is marked as used (dark small area of fig. 9). Thus, the screen components can be arranged on the custom screen without being overlapped.

An example of an operation when the custom screen generating section 102 generates a custom screen by collecting screen components to which attribute information is given will be described with reference to flowcharts of fig. 6 to 8. In this example, a custom screen is generated in which screen components to which the attribute "system 1" is assigned are collected.

S106: when detecting that a predetermined key (CUSTOM key) is pressed in this example), the CUSTOM screen generating unit 102 starts the CUSTOM screen generating mode and displays an empty CUSTOM screen and an empty software key on the screen.

S107: the user-defined screen image generating section 102 detects a predetermined operation (in this example, a right double-click operation) performed on a blank software key.

S108: the user-defined screen generating section 102 pops up a display attribute list.

S109: when detecting that the attribute "system 1" is selected from the attribute list, the user-defined screen generating unit 102 sets the selected attribute name "system 1" as the name of the software key that has been right-clicked. This displays the character string "system 1" in the software key.

S110: the user-defined screen generating unit 102 detects that the software key "system 1" is pressed. After step S109 is executed, step S11 is executed as it is without skipping this step.

S111: the custom screen image generating unit 102 internally generates an area map in which a display area (an area for displaying screen image components from which an area related to a software key is removed from the entire custom screen image) is divided into a matrix (8 × 8 in this example).

S112: the customized screen generation unit 102 repeatedly performs the processes of steps S113 to S121 for each existing screen.

S113: the custom screen generating section 102 selects an existing screen that has not been processed.

S114: the custom screen generating unit 102 repeatedly executes the processing of steps S115 to S119 for each screen component included in the existing screen selected in step S113.

S115: the custom screen generating section 102 selects an unprocessed screen component.

S116: the custom screen generating unit 102 searches for the attribute "system 1" selected in step S109 from the one or more attributes added to the screen component selected in step S115.

S117: when the attribute "system 1" exists, the custom screen generating unit 102 executes a screen component arrangement process (after step S122).

S118 to S119: when the attribute "system 1" does not exist, the custom screen generating section 102 determines whether or not there is another unprocessed component. If so, the process proceeds to step S115. If not, the process proceeds to step S120.

S120 to S121: the custom screen generating section 102 determines whether or not there is another existing screen that has not been processed. If so, the process proceeds to step S113. If not, the process ends.

Following S122 is a flowchart related to the screen part configuration process.

S122: the custom screen generating unit 102 acquires the width W and the height H of the screen member to which the attribute "system 1" found in S117 is added.

S123: the user-defined screen generating unit 102 initializes the empty region row number L and the empty region column number C, which are variables for searching for empty small regions.

S124: the custom screen generating unit 102 searches for an empty small area by a method of sequentially checking small areas constituting a matrix of the area map from one end. For example, L is changed from 1 to 8 in ascending order, and C is changed from 1 to 8 in ascending order, whereby a small area can be thoroughly checked.

S125: the custom screen generating unit 102 calculates a minimum required empty small region for displaying screen components having a width W and a height H. For example, it is necessary to calculate a rectangular region including small regions having a horizontal NL (W/W) and a vertical NC (H/H) (rounded up to a decimal point) by using the width W and the height H of the empty small regions.

S126: if the free small area is found in step S124, the user-defined screen generating unit 102 checks from the free small area in the positive direction whether all of NL horizontal and NC vertical rectangular areas are free small areas.

S127 to S129: when all of the NL horizontal and NC vertical rectangular areas checked in step S126 are empty small areas, the user-defined screen generating unit 102 changes the small areas of the rectangular areas to the completely used ones, and displays screen components in the rectangular areas.

When a sufficiently free small area for displaying the screen part cannot be found, the user-defined screen generating unit 102 adds a new blank page to the user-defined screen, and performs the processing of step S124 and subsequent steps on the blank page, thereby adding the screen part to the blank page. At this time, the custom screen generating section 102 can set an interface (typically "previous page", "next page" buttons, scroll, and the like) for transferring between pages on each page of the custom screen.

The customization screen display unit 103 provides a function for easily displaying the generated customization screen. When the software key to which the attribute has been assigned is pressed, the customization screen display unit 103 collects the screen components to which the selected attribute is assigned and displays the screen components on the blank customization screen. That is, screen components having the same attribute originally present in various existing screens are alternately collected and displayed in a single customized screen. Fig. 5 shows an example in which, when the shaded software key "system 1" is pressed, screen components to which the attribute "system 1" is given are cross-collected and collectively displayed on one custom screen. The specific processing contents are the same as the operations of the custom screen generating unit 102 shown in step S110 and subsequent steps in fig. 6 to 9, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

According to the present embodiment, the numerical controller 1 can collect information to which the attribute selected by the user is given on the spot without requiring a complicated operation of generating a custom screen in advance, and can generate the custom screen simply and directly.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the numerical controller 1 displays information confirmed by the user across a plurality of screens in a conventional existing screen divided for the purpose of operation, in a single screen in a group. Thus, the time for switching the screen can be reduced, and the operability can be improved. For example, only information of a specific system is collected, thereby easily confirming the processing state of the specific system. Further, by displaying a program for using the tool, a tool correction value, tool management data, and the like as information related to the specific tool on one screen, it becomes easy to check before machining whether the tool is optimum during machining, whether the correction value is appropriate, and the like.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the numerical controller 1 can easily generate a custom screen in which only information selected by the user is collected. In this way, since only objects to be confirmed by the user are collected in one screen, the visibility can be improved. Further, since the amount of data collected by the numerical controller 1 is also reduced, the load and the amount of use of resources such as a CPU, a bus, and communication can be reduced.

< embodiment 2 >

As embodiment 2, a numerical controller 1 capable of generating a new attribute by a user will be described. The hardware configuration (fig. 1) and the functional configuration (fig. 2) of the numerical controller 1 according to embodiment 2 are basically the same as those described in embodiment 1. Hereinafter, the same configuration and operation as those of embodiment 1 will not be described, and the operation of embodiment 2 alone will be mainly described.

An example of the operation of the numerical controller 1 according to embodiment 2 will be described with reference to fig. 11 to 13. The user-defined screen generating section 102 displays a blank user-defined screen and a plurality of blank software keys on the screen when executing the user-defined screen generating command. The user-defined screen generating unit 102 displays an attribute list (a pop-up menu called "attribute selection" in fig. 11) for assigning an attribute when a predetermined operation (for example, a right-click operation or a click operation) to a blank software key is detected (the selected software key is indicated by hatching in fig. 11). The attribute list includes one or more attributes assigned to the screen component.